All Blacks to rest Umaga before World Cup

NEW ZEALAND captain Tana Umaga will be rested at times during the Tri-Nations as the All Blacks try to keep him fresh for the 2007 World Cup.

Umaga is set to be named skipper for the forthcoming series against the Lions, but the All Blacks have a busy year, with the Tri-Nations followed in November by the Grand Slam tour of Britain and Ireland.

New Zealand assistant coach Steve Hansen, the former Wales boss, views the Tri-Nations as the ideal opportunity to rest Umaga and allow Richie McCaw to gain further experience of captaining at Test level.

“With the greatest respect for the Tri-Nations, it probably ranks as the third campaign this year,” said Hansen. “That doesn’t mean to say we don’t want to go out an win it. It’s an opportunity to try some new players and rest some other guys who need a break. The Lions series is going to take a lot out of us.

“We have got to look at it on an individual basis.

“We want Tana to last as long as he can so we have to look after him.”

McCaw captained the All Blacks in their win over Wales last November and he led the Crusaders to their fifth Super 12 title on Saturday.

“We have to grow leadership. It’s good for Richie and it’s good for Tana and if that means we have Tana for longer, that is good for New Zealand rugby,” Hansen explained.

Umaga will feature for the probables in Friday’s All Blacks trial match, but the international future of Leeds-bound scrum-half Justin Marshall remains up in the air. Marshall criticised All Blacks coach Graham Henry last week, airing his selection fears and frustrations.

However, after turning in an authoritative performance against the Waratahs, Marshall’s comments do not seem to have proven too costly.

Henry has contacted the scrum-half to tell him he remains in the frame for the three-Test series against the Lions.

Marshall is heading to Leeds for next season and will make a decision on his international future “in the next couple of days.”

“It wasn’t that I was making myself unavailable,” he said. “I just wanted to make sure I was 100% committed to play. The message I want to get across is that you don’t play 77 Tests without being committed. I am proud to be an All Black and, if given the opportunity to play against the Lions, they will get 100% out of me.”